STYROFOAM brand foam crafts

Autumn Votive Centerpiece

Expand your creative skills today with this elegant arrangement of berries leaves and glass-painted votive holders -- because everything looks more beautiful in candlelight!
   Completion Time - 
4 hours
   Designer - 
Diane Flowers

Materials

STYROFOAM Brand Foam
  • Sheet, 18" x 12" x 2"
Other Materials
  • Translucent spray paint for glassware: orange; yellow
  • Brown antiquing gel
  • Fern-print tissue paper, two sheets
  • Artificial Nandina leaves, six large sprays
  • Artificial orange/yellow berries: 36" flexible vine;
  • individual stems, 14
  • Light green reindeer moss, one bag
  • Clear glass candle holders, 3" tall, five
  • Orange votive candles, five
  • Floral pins

Tools

  • Serrated knife
  • Candle stub or paraffin
  • Pencil
  • Ruler
  • Waxed paper
  • Disposable bowl and spoon
  • Paper towels
  • Water basin
  • Wire cutters or floral shears
  • Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
  • Thick, white craft glue
  • Optional: Disposable gloves. Hair dryer.

Instructions

  • 1. Use pencil to draw one 15" x 4" rectangle and one 18" x6" rectangle onto foam sheet.

  • 2. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Cut outfoam rectangles. Center and glue smaller rectangle to top oflarger rectangle; reinforce with floral pins. Let dry.

  • 3. Tear tissue paper into several 2" x 14" strips and several3" square, or smaller, pieces.

  • 4. Mix one part white glue with two parts water in disposablebowl; stir with spoon. If desired, put on disposable gloves.

  • 5. Dip each tissue piece into glue/water mixture and smoothonto all surfaces of foam base until base is covered. Lettissue pieces wrinkle and overlap. Place base on waxed paperto dry overnight. Note: Hair dryer may be used to speed updrying process.

  • 6. Place small amount antiquing gel on paper towel and rubover tissue paper. Use clean towel to rub away excess, leavinglight coat. Let dry.

  • 7. Glue small pieces of reindeer moss to bottom of base and tolower edges of each foam rectangle.

  • 8. Wrap berry vine around base; secure with floral pins. Usewire cutters to trim berry stems to about 3" long. Insertthree stems into center of each long side of base and twostems into center of each short end of base.

  • 9. Trim Nandina spray stems to same length and insert intobase behind berries on long sides so they point toward shortends. Let some leaves extend around corners.

  • 10. Follow manufacturer's instructions to spray paint candleholders yellow; let dry. Spray paint holders orange; let dry.Glue candle holders to top of base; let dry.

  • 11. Glue small pieces of reindeer moss around candle holderbases. Place candles in holders. Insert remaining berry stemsinto base between holders.

  • 12. If desired, remove each leaf and berry stem and apply glueto ends before reinserting stems into foam. Let dry.If you enjoyed this project, look here for more inspiring ideas:Autumn Riches Cone Trio